Advantest Reports Minimal Impact from the Northeast Japan Earthquake

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advantest Corporation (TSE: 6857, NYSE: ATE) today announced that it incurred minimal damage from the Northeast Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011. The company’s major domestic facilities resumed operation on Monday, March 14.

“Friday’s earthquake was the most powerful quake to hit our nation in recorded history. Advantest extends heartfelt condolences to the families of those who perished in the earthquake and the tsunami, and to those who have lost their homes and livelihoods”

Advantest Laboratories, an R&D facility located in Sendai, sustained no serious damage, based on currently available information. The company is presently seeking to confirm the safety of employees and their families in the area. No injuries or deaths were reported among employees elsewhere in the country as of today.
The following facilities resumed operation on Monday: the Gunma Factory Gunma Factory 2, and Gunma R&D Center, in Gunma Prefecture; and the Saitama R&D Center, in Saitama Prefecture. Advantest will make every effort to minimize the impact on operations and production schedules of the rolling blackouts the country is currently experiencing.
“Friday’s earthquake was the most powerful quake to hit our nation in recorded history. Advantest extends heartfelt condolences to the families of those who perished in the earthquake and the tsunami, and to those who have lost their homes and livelihoods,” said Haruo Matsuno, president and CEO of Advantest, in a statement.
The company has set up an emergency response headquarters and task team that is continuing to investigate the situation. All steps are being taken to ensure a swift and full recovery.
About Advantest Corporation
A world-class technology company, Advantest is the leading producer of automatic test equipment (ATE) for the semiconductor industry and a premier manufacturer of measuring instruments used in the design and production of electronic instruments and systems. Its leading-edge systems and products are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world. The company also focuses on R&D for emerging markets that benefit from advancements in nanotech and terahertz technologies, and has recently introduced critical dimension scanning electron microscopes essential to photomask manufacturing, as well as a groundbreaking 3D imaging and analysis tool. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest established its first subsidiary in 1982, in the USA, and now has subsidiaries worldwide. More information is available at http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.advantest.co.jp%2F&esheet=6645462&lan=en-US&anchor=www.advantest.co.jp&index=1&md5=c9b664a95312ab8bee3266f99a9113ed.